Lens Reviews

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Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 21, 2022  | 

Tamron just announced an 8X lens for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras that starts at 50mm and zooms to 400mm, widening the range of creative applications compared to telephoto zooms that begin at the 100mm focal length. In addition to beginning at 50mm (the established “normal” or “standard” focal length for full-frame cameras) the new ultra-telephoto zoom focuses as close as 9.8 inches, rendering a magnification ratio of 1:2 (one-half life size).

Henry Anderson  |  Sep 01, 2022  | 

If you’ve ever wondered whether newer and, typically, more expensive versions of lenses are that much better than their predecessors, the below video is a fun comparison. In the clip, swimwear and lingerie photographer Anita Sadowska compares the new Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II lens from this year to the older “Mark I” version.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jul 01, 2022  | 

Sony offers a wide assortment of excellent optics for their popular mirrorless full-frame and APS-C cameras, but so do other high quality lens manufacturers, including the three we identify here. Sometimes adding the “just right” glass to your lens arsenal gives you a whole new way to look at things.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  May 13, 2022  | 

The 27-ounce 90mm f/1.5 manual focus lens from Mitakon Zhongyi Optics is a handful of glass, that’s for sure. We reviewed the Speedmaster on a full-frame Sony mirrorless body and formed some strong opinions. Read on…

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Apr 22, 2022  | 

When we reviewed the Tamron 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Ultra-Zoom Lens in Sony APS-C mirrorless mount, we were truly impressed that a long-reach zoom that small (< 5 inches) had such outstanding IQ, focused to 5.9 inches and cost less than $700. But I must confess that all the while, I was eagerly awaiting the Fujifilm X version of this beauty. I finally landed a sample, and here’s what happened.

Henry Anderson  |  Dec 02, 2021  | 

Since street photographers are always debating which lens is best to capture candid scenes and portraits, Pierre T. Lambert decided to put a few to the test. In the below video Lambert compares the Sony 14mm f/1.8 Vs. 35mm f/1.4 Vs. 85mm f/1.8 to see which comes out on top for street photography.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Nov 26, 2021  | 

Time to hit the Reset Button and put your notions of Image Quality on Pause. In our everyday lives as photographers we prize sharpness, saturation, acutance and absence of aberration when we idealize the images we want to capture. Now it’s time to recognize that images that are blurred, smeared, warped and otherwise traumatized can be beautiful.

Lensbaby lenses produce images that are intentionally unsharp, because optical aberrations can be beautiful. In a word, a Lensbaby turns blur into bliss.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Nov 19, 2021  | 

The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 zoom for Sony E (Model A036) won the prestigious EISA Award for 2018-19 and is highly regarded as a fast, sharp option for Sony’s full-frame mirrorless cameras. Three years on, Tamron announces the G2 (second generation) Model A063 with the same zoom range and aperture.

What’s been improved? We look at the two zooms side-by-side with a critical eye.

Ron Leach  |  Nov 08, 2021  | 

Ricoh’s line of powerful full-featured pocket cameras has undergone an interesting and welcome transformation since the first GR Digital model was introduced back in 2006. There were three subsequent cameras, all with small sensors, with a bump in resolution from the first 8.1-megapixel version.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 29, 2021  | 

Tamron just announced the 18-300mm (27-450mm equivalent) zoom for Sony and Fujifilm cameras. It’s Tamron’s first lens in Fujifilm X-mount and their 15th for Sony mirrorless (counting both full-frame and APS-C camera models). Measuring less than 5 inches long, focusing closer than 6 inches and selling for $699, there’s a lot to like. Here’s our hands-on review of the 18-300mm in Sony mount complete with several sample images.

Henry Anderson  |  Oct 14, 2021  | 

Which lens is better for portraits, a 35mm or 50mm prime lens? That's a question many photographers ask and one that Mitch Lally attempts to answer in the below lens comparison portrait test.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Sep 24, 2021  | 

My 35mm f/2.8 Tokina AT-X M35 PRO DX Macro was discontinued in 2010, but I’ve always liked it because it’s small, it focuses quickly and it’s extremely sharp. It’s for Nikon cameras with APS-C size sensors and was a constant companion for my now-retired 12-megapixel Nikon D90. So I decided to see how it performed on my full-frame Nikon Df. Man, did I get a surprise!

Ron Leach  |  Aug 26, 2021  | 

So you absolutely love landscape photography and you’re motivated to do everything possible to improve your work. One way to do that is by following the ongoing tutorials we post, and another is to be sure you’re using the type of gear that is best suited for the task.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jul 29, 2021  | 

Three big reasons to buy a Tamron 20mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 for Sony full frame mirrorless cameras. First, it’s an ultra-wideangle capable of sweeping wide shots that are sharp edge-to-edge and span 94°. Second, it’s a 1:2 Macro lens (one-half life-size) that focuses as close as 4.3 inches. Third, this 2.5-inch lens costs just $249.

Henry Anderson  |  Jul 21, 2021  | 

What is the best prime lens for photography? According to photographer and YouTube star Peter McKinnon, it's the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM and in the below video he tells you why.

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